Beet elet



C. V. A. ELEY.

SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB- 11. mm.

1 1 93,528. Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- C. V. A. ELEY.

SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED FEB-17.1916.

1,1 98,528. Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

2 suns-sneer 2.

TE FIC.

SHIP.

Application filed February 17, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHAnLns Vroron AL- nnn'r ELEY, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 10 Cambridge Crescent, Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the county of ar-wick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ships; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention comprises improvements re lating to ships including both mercantile ships and war ships, and has for its object to provide eflicient means for preventing the sinking of such ships even when badly holed as by collision, torpedo or from other cause.

It is well known that when a vessel is holed as by collision or by a torpedo that the water can only flow in at a rate determined by the size of the hole and the head of waterin the sea above the hole, but according to this invention I propose to equip vessels with pumping mechanism sufficient to expel water from the vessel as rapidly as it can enter through any hole which can be made or is likely to be made either by collision or torpedo, thus enabling the vessel to be kept afloat for a considerable period even after injury.

The pumping mechanism is preferably so large as to absorb the whole of the steam which can be produced in the ships boilers or the whole of the gas which can be pro duced in the gas generators if the ship is fitted with suction or other gas engines, or I may drive the centrifugal or other pumps by the whole of the power developed by the propelling machinery whether steam engines, turbines, gas engines, oil engines, electric motors or other power, so that in the event of the ship being damaged the whole engine power of the ship may be utilized for pumping out the water, in which event the pumps will be able to deal with any rate of inflow of water which is likely to occur in consequence of collision or torpedo, though it will be understood that my invention can be employed for absorbing only part of the propelling power or power less than that provided for propelling. V

Another object of the invention is to keep the vessel on an even keel even when holed near one end, which I accomplish by dividing the vessel into water tight compartments, these compartments being provided with a means of communication as by a pipe, or passage whereby water causing the damage Specification of Letters Patent.

a double bottom.

Patented Au. 8, 1916.

Serial No. 78,978.

may be passed from a flooded compartment to any other of the compartments such as one at the opposite end of the vessel for the purpose of passing water into same so as to maintain the vessel on an even keel without admitting water from other sources.

Further objects of the invention are to construct the pumping machinery in a simpler, cheaper, and lighter manner, to improve the construction of the bulkheads and to indicate to the engineer in charge the depth of water in the various compartments. Referring to the drawings: Figure 1. is a diagrammatical elevation of a ship fitted according to this invention. Fig. 2. is a partial longitudinal section to a larger scale showing the arrangement of bulkheads and centrifugal pumps. Fig. 8. is a partial transverse section showing the pumps. Fig. l. is an enlarged transverse section showing a water valve. Fig. 5. is a similar longitudinal section of the valve. Fig. 6. is a diagrammatic view of the indicator whereby the head of water in the diflerent compartments is shown. Fig. 7. is a detail of the float mechanism for actuating the indicating slides. Fig. 8. is a longitudinal sectional view showing the pump and pipe each formed partially out of a bulkhead. Fig. 9., is a section at AB in Fig. 8. Fig. 10. is a horizontal section showing a form of the invention in which two walls of the pipe and pump are built out of the two walls of a coflerdam or double bulkhead.

In carrying my invention into practice as shown upon the accompanying drawings at Figs. 1 to 6 the vessel is divided into a number of compartments 1. by bulkheads of the coflerdam type 2'. 0. each consisting of two plates marked 2 and 3, the vessel being also fitted with an inner liner 4 so as to form Between each of the plates constituting the bulkhead I place a series of pumps of any suitable kind, those illustrated being of the vertically driven centrifugal type consisting of a pump 5, vertical shafts 6 and driving motor 7, water being admitted at the bottom of the pump through the strainer plate 8 passing upwardly through the rising main 9 and delivered through the water discharge main 10, the strainer plate obviously providing the means of communication between the water tight compartment and the pump. It will be seen that each water tight compartment is provided with pumping mechanism, the example illustrated being intended to show ten pumps to each compartment, and the whole of the pumps for the ship are arranged under the control of the engineer at one common point by having the start ing switches for the whole of the motors upon one board.

A pipe marked 11 or other equivalent conduit extends throughout the length of the vessel and communicates with each of the compartments by means of a valve 12 so that if any two valves are open the two compartments containing these valves will communicate with each other, water flowing from one to the other. As shown these valves are pivoted at 13 beneath a grating 14 the valves being controlled by rods 16 operated by solenoids 17 the whole of the solenoids for the different valves being controlled from a common switch board again in the engineers room. Means are provided for showing to the engineer in charge the height of water in each of the compartments (as shown at Figs. 6 and 7) such means including a float 20 located in a tube 21 disposed at a suitable point in the compartment, so arranged that as the water rises in the compartment the float ises with it. The float is connected to a chain 22 which passes over a sprocket wheel 23 being con- Fig. 6 is preferably in the form of a small,

model of the vessel containing the series of slides, one corresponding with each compartment of the vessel and moving proportionately to the float in the compartment so that a movement of the float will be communicated to the slide, thus showing to the engineer in charge the exact height of water in the compartment.

At Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown an improved method of constructing the pumping machinery, such means consisting in utilizing the bulkhead plates to form part of the pump pipes or rising mains and of the pump body. As shown one half of the pump body 30 is pressed out of the bulkhead plate 3 the rising main and pump pipe being formed by riveting the part 31 to the plate 3.

At Fig. 10 another method of constructing the rising main or pump pipes and pump body is shown in which two members 33, 33 are placed between the two plates of the bulkhead and riveted in position, these two plates together with the bulkhead plates forming a rectangular conduit or main for conveying the water from the pumps. In

I this construction it will be obvious that in addition to saving considerable weight in the pumping machinery the plates 33 also act as struts for stiffening and strengthening the cofferdam or double plated bulkheads.

At Figs. & and 5 I have shown a means of forming the longitudinal pipe or passage for connecting the compartments by utilizing the double bottom of the vessel to form two walls of the pipe; longitudinal plates 36, 36 being rive-ted between them forming a rectangular passage; these plates also acting as strutsand thus stifl'ening the bottom 01'' the vessel.

\Vhat I claim then is 1. In a ship, the combination of a series of water tight compartments; a pipe conneeting said compartments; valves one in each compartment whereby each of said compartments may be put into connection with the pipe; and pumping mechanism in each of said compartments; for the purpose specified.

'2. In a ship the combination of a series of double plated bulkheads dividing the ship into water tight compartments; a pipe connecting said compartments; valves one in each compartment whereby each of said compartments may be put into connection with the pipe and thus with each other; and pumping mechanism in each of said compartments; for the purpose specified.

In a ship the combination of a series of double plated bulkheads dividing the ship into water tight compartments; a pipe connecting said compartments; valves one in each compartment whereby each of said compartments may be put into connection with the pipe and thus with each other; and a series of centrifugal pumps located between the plates of each bulkhead and each adapted to receive water from one of the compartments; for the purpose specified.

4. In a ship, the combination of a series of water tight compartments; a pipe con necting said compartments; valves one in each compartment whereby each of said compartments may be put into connection with the pipe and thus with each other; pumping mechanism in each of said compartments; and means for indicating the head of water in each of said compartments; for the purpose specified.

5. In a ship the combination of a series of double plated bulkheads dividing the ship into water tight compartments; a pipe connecting said compartments; valves one in each compartment whereby each of said compartments may be put into connection with the pipe and thus with each other; a series of centrifugal pumps located between the plates of each bulkhead and each adapted to receive water from one of the com- I partments; and means for indicating the head of water in each of said compartments; for the purpose specified.

6. In a ship, the combination of a series of water tight compartments; a pipe connecting said compartments; valves one in each compartment whereby each of said compartments may be put into connection with the pipe and thus with each other; a valve actuating rod for each valve; a solenoid for each rod and valve; a common switchboard for controlling all the solenoids; and pumping mechanism in each of Eaid compartments; for the purpose speci- 7. In a ship, the combination of a series of water tight compartments; a pipe connecting said compartments; valves one in each compartment whereby each of said compartments may be put into connection with the pipe and thus with each other; a valve actuating rod for each valve; a solenoid for each rod and valve; a common switchboard for controlling all the solenoids; pumping mechanism in each of said compartments; and means for indicating the head of water in each of said compartments; for the purpose specified.

8. In a ship, the combination of a series of bulkheads dividing the ship into water tight compartments; means for putting at will any two or more of said compartments into communication so that the water head in them may be equalized; pumping mecha nism in each compartment including a pump and pipe parts of which are formed by the bulkhead wall; for the purpose specified.

9. In a ship, the combination of a series of double plated bulkheads dividing the ship into water tight compartments; means for putting at will any two or more of said compartments into communication so that the water head in them may be equalized; and pumping mechanism including a pump and pipe located between the plates of each bulkhead and intermediate members both forming parts of the pump and pipes; for the purpose specified.

10. In a ship the combination of a series of bulkheads dividing the ship into water tight compartments; means for putting at will any two or more of said compartments into communication so that the water head in them may be equalized; and pumping mechanism in each compartment including a pipe parts of which are formed by the bulkhead wall; for the purpose specified.

11. In a ship, the combination of a series of double plated bulkheads dividing the ship into water tight compartments; means for putting at will any two or more of said compartments into communication so that the water head in them may be equalized; and pumping mechanism for said compartments, said mechanism including a pipe formed by the plates of a single bulkhead and members intermediate said plates.

12. In a ship, the combination of a series of double plated bulkheads dividing the ship into water tight compartments; a pipe connecting said compartments; and a series of centrifugal pumps located between the plates of each bulkhead and each adapted to receive water from one of the compartments; for the purpose specified.

13. In a ship, the combination of a series of water tight compartments; means for putting at will any two or more of said compartment into communication so that the the water head in them may be equalized; and' a centrifugal pump for each of said compartments arranged to receive water therefrom; and means whereby the entire propelling power of the ship may be utilized in driving said pump.

14. In a ship, the combination of a series of water tight compartments; a double bottom to the ship; longitudinal plates dividing the double bottom so as to provide a water passage between said compartments; a valve in each compartment connecting said water passage to the compartments; and pumping mechanism in each compartment; for the purpose specified.

15. In a ship, the combination of a series of water tight compartments; a pipe connecting said compartments; valves one in each compartment whereby each of said compartments may be put into communication With said pipe and thus with each other; a valve actuating rod for each valve; a solenoid for each rod and valve; a common switch board for controlling all said solenoids; a pump for each of said compartments; an electric motor driving each of said pumps and means for controlling the whole of said motors and pumps from a common switch board.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES VICTOR ALBERT ELEY.

WVitnesses:

HAROLD J. C. FORRESTER, MARY J. PARKER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

